The portfolio committee on Mineral Resources has decided to launch its own commission of inquiry into state capture. The decision was made after the Mineral Resources Minister Mosebenzi Zwane failed to appear before the committee.

Since November he has given a series of excuses for why he was unable to appear and on more than one occasion been accused of misleading Parliament.

Briefly.co.za learned that the latest excuse was that he was attending a National Council of Provinces meeting today. However, there was no such meeting scheduled. This is the fourth time that he failed to appear according to ewn.co.za.

The MPs on the committee have had enough and have decided to formally subpoena Zwane and he would have to answer to a full-blown inquiry.

Committee chairperson Zet Luzipho says: “We must go for an investigation in the form of other investigations that have been instituted by other committees, taking an example of the process that’s been followed by the Public Enterprises.”

Zwane is not alone, other ministers implicated in state capture have refused to appear before Parliament. Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs Minister Des van Rooyen have said that he would only appear before Parliament to answer questions relating to state capture at a properly constituted inquiry.

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